Strawberry plant named El Capitan

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry named El Capitan. The variety is similar to the varietics Coronado and San Miguel. The variety is distinguished from Coronado and San Miguel, in that El Capitan has an obtuse terminal leaflet teeth shape, medium to dense petiole pubescence, medium to strong anthocyanin coloration, cordate fruit shape, marked difference in shape between primary and secondary fruits, large hollow center size, and time of flowering is mid-December.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The new variety originated as a result of a controlled cross between the strawberry plants San Miguel (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,642) and 12A71 (unpatented variety) in an ongoing breeding program, and was discovered as a seedling in Ventura County, Calif. in February, 1996. The original seedling of the new cultivar was asexually propagated by stolons in a nursery in Shasta County, Calif. Propagules were transplanted to a controlled breeding plot in Ventura County, Calif., where the variety was identified and selected for further evaluation. El Capitan was subsequently asexually propagated and underwent firther testing at in Ventura County, Calif. for six years. This propagation and testing has demonstrated that the combination of traits disclosed herein which characterize the new variety are fixed and retained true to type through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry named El Capitan. The variety is botanically identified as Fragaria×ananassa. The new variety is distinguished from other varieties by a number of characteristics as set forth in Tables 1-4.

COMPARISON TO SIMILAR VARIETIES

[0003] The varieties which we believe to be similar to El Capitan from those known to us are Coronado (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,221) and San Miguel (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,642). There are several characteristics of the new variety that are different from, or not possessed by Coronado and San Miguel. The new variety has an obtuse terminal leaflet teeth shape, medium to dense petiole pubescence, medium to strong anthocyanin coloration, cordate fruit shape, marked difference in shape between primary and secondary fruits, large hollow center size, and time of flowering is mid-December.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the new variety, including fruit, foliage and flowers, in color as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make in color illustrations of these characteristics.

[0005]FIG. 1 shows the leaves of the plant.

[0006]FIG. 2 shows the upper side and the under side of the flowers.

[0007]FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the fruit.

[0008]FIG. 4 shows the fruit in longitudinal cross-section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

[0009] The following detailed description of the new variety is based upon observations taken of plants and fruit grown in Monterey County, Calif., U.S.A. This description is in accordance with UPOV terminology. Observations of El Capitan, Coronado and San Miguel were taken in side by side comparison in the year 2001. Color designations, color descriptions, and other phenotypical descriptions may deviate from the stated values and descriptions depending upon variation in environmental, seasonal, climatic and cultural conditions. Colors are described and the most similar color designations are provided from The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

PROPAGATION

[0010] The new variety is principally propagated by way of stolons. Although propagation by stolons is presently preferred, other known methods of propagating strawberry plants may be employed.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEW VARIETY

[0011] Information on the new variety is presented in Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4. In the tables, the flowers described are secondary flowers except where indicated. The petal color of El Capitan is white (155C in the RHS Colour Chart). The fruit described is the secondary fruit on one-year-old plants. Fruit and flower measurements are an average of both primary and secondary fruit and flowers.

[0012] Table 1 provides information on the plant and fruit characteristics of the new variety El Capitan compared with characteristics of Coronado and San Miguel. Table 2 provides additional information of the plant and fruit characteristics of the new variety El Capitan compared with characteristics of the varieties Coronado and San Miguel. Table 3 provides reactions of the new variety to stresses, pests and diseases compared with reactions of the varieties Coronado and San Miguel. Table 4 provides isozyme characteristics of the new variety as compared to that of the varieties Coronado and San Miguel. TABLE 1 DETAILED COMPARISON OF EL CAPITAN, CORONADO AND SAN MIGUEL El Capitan Coronado San Miguel Plant Characteristics Height of Plant (cm) 24.0 20.7 22.8 Spread of Plant (cm) 32.6 28.7 29.4 Number of Crowns 6.0 4.6 4.4 Leaf Characteristics Terminal Leaflet 6.0 6.1 6.2 Length (cm) Terminal Leaflet 6.0 6.3 5.8 Width (cm) Terminal Leaflet 1.00 0.97 1.07 Length/Width # Teeth/Terminal 16.3 21.6 20.7 Leaflet Color of upper side dark green light to medium to 147A medium green dark green 137A 147A Color of under side light to light to light to medium green medium green medium green 147C 137B 138B Petiole Length (cm) 18.2 16.3 16.0 Petiole Color 149A 149A 149A Bract Frequency 8% 0% 30% typically typically single paired Stipule Length (cm) 3.4 3.4 2.9 Stipule Width (cm) 1.1 1.2 1.1 Flower Characteristics Petal Length (cm) 1.5 1.6 1.4 Petal Width (cm) 1.7 1.7 1.5 Petal Length/Width 0.91 0.93 0.98 Ratio Flower Diameter (cm) 3.2 3.4 2.7 Calyx Diameter (cm) 4.4 4.4 4.1 Fruiting Truss Length (cm) 22.9 22.1 25.7 Fruit Characteristics Fruit Length (cm) 5.0 4.3 4.3 Fruit Width (cm) 3.9 3.9 4.1 Fruit Length/Width 1.28 1.11 1.07 Ratio Average Berry Weight 23.3 23.6 23.2 (g) External Color dark red red dark red 53A 46A 53A Internal Color red red dark red 43A 41A 45A Average % brix 7.9 7.1 7.1 Brix/Acid Ratio 9.71 9.11 9.33 Achene Coloration dark red to dark red to dark red to yellow green yellow yellow green 60A to 151A 53A to 141B 53A to 151B Yield (g/plant) 695 598 557

[0013] TABLE 2 CHARACTERISTICS OF EL CAPITAN, CORONADO AND SAN MIGUEL El Capitan Coronado San Miguel Plant Habit globose globose flat globose Density open open open Vigor strong medium medium Leaf Shape in cross section concave slightly concave concave Interveinal blistering medium strong strong Glossiness medium strong strong strong Number of leaflets three only more than three three only on up to 5 out of 10 leaves Terminal leaflet flat flat to cupped flat to revolute margin Terminal leaflet obtuse obtuse rounded shape of base Terminal leaflet obtuse rounded rounded shape of teeth Stipule pubescence sparse sparse sparse Petiole pubescence medium to medium sparse to dense medium Petiole pose of hairs outward outward outward Stolon Amount many medium to many many Anthocyanin medium to weak to weak to coloration strong medium medium Thickness thin medium thin to medium Pubescence sparse to sparse to sparse to medium medium medium Inflorescence Position relative to above level to above above foliage Diameter of calyx larger larger larger relative to corolla on secondary flowers Diameter of inner smaller to same same size to same size calyx relative to outer size larger on secondary flowers Spacing of petals overlapping touching to overlapping overlapping Fruiting Truss Attitude at first prostrate semi-erect to prostrate picking prostrate Fruit Predominant shape cordate conical to conical to wedged cylindrical Difference in shapes marked moderate moderate between primary and secondary fruits Band without achenes very narrow narrow very narrow Unevenness of surface weak to weak to weak to medium medium medium Evenness of color slightly uneven even even uneven to even Glossiness strong medium to medium strong Insertion of achenes below to level below surface below surface with the surface Insertion of calyx in a basin to level to set set above level above Pose of the calyx reflexed spreading spreading to segments reflexed Size of calyx in larger larger same size relation to fruit on secondary fruit Adherence of calyx strong medium strong Firmness of flesh firm firm firm Evenness of flesh even slightly uneven even color Distribution of flesh marginal and marginal and marginal and color central central central Hollow center size large medium medium Sweetness strong weak strong Texture when tasted fine fine fine Acidity medium strong medium Time of Flowering mid-December early-January early-January Harvest Interval in late-January to early-February early-February 2001 mid-June to mid-June to mid-June Type of Bearing partially partially partially everbearing everbearing everbearing

[0014] TABLE 3 El Capitan Coronado San Miguel Reaction to Stress high pH moderately moderately moderately resistant resistant resistant high soil salt levels moderately moderately moderately resistant resistant resistant Reaction to Pests Tetranychus urticae moderately moderately moderately resistant resistant resistant Lygus hesperus susceptible susceptible susceptible Reaction To Diseases Botrytis fruit rot moderately moderately moderately susceptible susceptible susceptible Powdery mildew moderately moderately moderately resistant resistant resistant Verticillium wilt susceptible susceptible susceptible Strawberry Mottle Virus moderately moderately moderately resistant resistant resistant Xanthomonas fragariae moderately moderately moderately susceptible susceptible susceptible

ISOZYME ANALYSIS

[0015] In addition to the morphological description above, the new cultivar El Capitan has been analyzed to obtain an indication of its genetic makeup to provide further means for identifying the new variety and distinguishing it from other somewhat similar and/or related strawberry varieties. Specifically, leaf samples of El Capitan, Coronado, and San Miguel were analyzed by electrophoresis for isozyme patterns of the enzymes phosphoglucoisomerase (“PGI”), leucine aminopeptidase (“LAP”) and phosphoglucomutase (“PGM”). See J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 106:684-687. Isozyme characterization of the three varieties is presented in Table 4, with the letters representing the banding patterns for each enzyme as designated in the above-identified article. TABLE 4 ISOZYME ANALYSIS FOR EL CAPITAN, CORONADO AND SAN MIGUEL Locus El Capitan Coronado San Miguel PGI A2 A2 A4 LAP B3 B3 B3 PGM C4 C4 C2 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of strawberry plant, substantially as shown and described. 